Virtual Kodama Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #24 Kichijo-in Temple

 

     Kichijo-in Temple was founded in 806 by Abo Hitokami (?-801).  Hm, it's contradictory.

Hitokami was actually appointed as the vice-governor of Musashi Province in 702 and as the governor of the same province in 786.  He returned to Kyoto in 790.  There could have been an error in writing the name of an imperial era or the number.  Or he started building the temple when he was in the province and its construction was finished after he left the province.  Anyway, it's possible he had something to do with the foundation of the temple.

     Some argue, however, the foundation story is totally a mistake.  There was the Abo Family in the medieval days.  They belonged to the Tan Corps.

     In ancient times, there used to be the Musashi Seven Corps. The most part of Musashi Province was plateaus deeply covered with volcanic-ash soil, which was suitable for stock farming, not for rice growing. In ancient times, many of the naturalized Silla people then were sent to Musashi Province, and engaged in the stock farming. That stimulated local people there, and many stock farms were set up, including 6 imperial stock farms. The custodians of those farms later formed small-scale would-be-samurai families. By marriage, those would-be-samurai families composed 7 corps on the Musashi Plateaus.  The Tan Corps was one of the 7.  The Tan Corps was composed with Maruko, Tan, Niizato, Hanzawa, Anbo, Nagahama, Teshigahara, Nakamura, Nakayama, Ozeki, Kaji, Yokose, Han, Ogano, Okawara, Aoki , Ogushi, and Shimura Families.

     Abo Sanemitsu （1142-1221） was the 2nd son of Niizato Tsunafusa, and moved to Abo Village, Kami County, Musashi Province.  Later, he called his family Abo.  According to Azumakagami, which was a chronology compiled after 1266 under the directive of the Regent of the Kamakura Shogunate, Sanemitsu fought in the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani in 1184, the Battle of Oshu in 1189, and the Jokyu War in 1221.  At the age of 79, he was drawn to death in the Uji River with his old friend Shioya Ietsune, who was 71 years old.  A model samurai?  Or unbecoming of his age?  Anyway, tradition says that Kichijo-ji Temple was founded by Sanemitsu.

     It's up to you which story you will believe.

     Kichijo-in Temple’s main deity is Vairocana, and it also enshrines Eleven-Faced Ekadasamukha.

Address: 1109 Omido, Kamisato, Kodama District, Saitama 369-0315

Phone: 0495-33-5438